Observatory
by X23 Maximoff
Summary: I am speaking, of course, as a completely objective third party observer with absolutely no personal interest in the matter...an unknown person observes various couples of the mansion. Step 4: X23 and Pietro
1. So Contagious

summary: I am speaking, of course, as a completely objective third party observer with absolutely no personal interest in the matter...an unknown person observes various couples of the mansion. Step 1: Remy and Rogue 

X-X-X-X-X ::: Chapter 1: So Contagious, aka Remy and Rogue

_Oh, when I'm around you I'm predictable  
Cause I believe in loving you at first sight  
I know it's crazy but I'm hoping to,  
To take a hold of you.  
_ Acceptance

---------------------

She doesn't like to show that she loves him, Rogue. At least, she didn't when I first came, a few months ago. But now, it seems they've been through so much together, and even if she won't freely admit it in public yet, you know she loves him quite deeply. I think she's had many years of living this "stay away" persona, and old habits are hard to break. However, I've noticed that there's this one specific smile she only wears around him, and I can tell that he's noticed too. She has her moments of doubts - she's petrified that she'll lose control again, not only of the psyches in her head, but her powers in general. She's worked so hard, and she's pretty sure she has control, but worries if one day her control fails and she hurts him again. He wraps his arms around her then and kisses her hair, saying that she has control, and it's strong - and even if she loses it, well, he's a tough ol' Cajun, even wresteled a gator once. Then she smiles that smile and her worries are abated for another time.

He, on the other hand, has no problem with professing his love - daily. Remy says it with a smile on his face, but sincerity in his eyes, so that the younger male mutants don't get that blank stare and tease him and the females won't bother her about all the details. But, if you watch them closely, there's a few moments - and I've only seen very few - when everything is so crazy around them, that no one is paying attention to them, and Remy's face is completely serious when he tells her that he loves her. Her response is soft, as is her facial expression, as she allows this one moment of alone time to let her true feelings shine through. He also takes advantage of this moment so slip his hand into her hair and gently press his mouth to hers. He pulls away just before everyone notices, and you can tell she's still a little surprised that she is not only kissing someone, touching someone, but kissing the love of her life.

They have deep scars together, the two of them. I hear his doubts as well, something about a man named Essex, and his regrets. She says something about a woman named Carol, and the discussion ends with seemingly mutual agreement.

The best time to observe, I feel, is at supper time. No one thinks anyone is watching them, which usually leads them to doing something different, and usually quite embarrassing. It seems I have an odd talent for finding these moments.

"Ah guess your cookin' is pretty good, Cajun." she tells him.

"Chere, y' know Remy's cookin's de best t'ing since slic'd bread!" he practically whines.

"If I tell ya it's delicious will ya promise to never whine like that again?" she asks him.

"Eh, 't'would help, but Remy can't make any promises, chere." he retorts with a large grin. She rolls her eyes at him, but can't help but smile.

"Fine. It's good." she mutters, but she's still smiling.

"Remy t'inks it's great!" he pushes.

"Yer dad thinks it's great." she retorts quickly.

"Yer mom t'inks it's great." he responds, and they both chuckle as if sharing an inside joke about the stated family members.

"But seriously, chere," he starts again. "can't ya pict're us, sittin' on de porch swing somewhere down south - Texas, maybe, get a li'l change o' pace - sippin' on some ice tea after enjoyin' some delicious gumbo made by yer fav'rite Cajun..."

"Where're ya goin' with this, Remy?" she asks, holding her head in one hand and looking thoughtfully towards him. The rest of the table is bustling with loud conversation; no one but I notices the quiet moment between them.

"Let Remy finish. So we'd be sippin' tea, and lookin' out over de yard, and it'd be warm and humid, not dis cold stuff, and de breeze would be flutterin' 'round de skirt of the white summer dress you'd be wearin'-"

"Hold up, since when did Ah wear summer dresses?" she interrupts, smiling.

"Remy dunno, Mercy used ta do it all de time...anyway, and de breeze would be flutterin' 'round as we watch de sunset on another blissful day, and Remy just sayin' that mebbe when dis is all over - if de time comes dat mebbe de X-men ain't where we s'posed ta be...Ah, never mind. You'll make fun o' me." he stops, shaking his head.

"No, go one, Rem." she says softly, as if she realizes this is probably one of his secrets.

"Well, I just always wanted somet'in' like dat, y'know? Y'don't get not'in' like dat on the street, or in de Guild. And if I'm watchin' any sunset...well, I'd rat'er it be wit' you." he finishes, avoiding her eyes in exchange for concentrating on his plate. She smiles his smile, and lifts her eyes to make a round around the table. I avert my eyes quickly, and she decides no one is watching as she pulls Remy's face to hers and kisses him fully.

"Ah hear the sunset's in Texas are beautiful." she says, and they both smile and go back to their dinner.

X-X-X-X-X

well, that's all. I know it's short, but these really aren't going to be that long. If you have any specific couple or anything you want to see with certain couples, let me know. otherwise, review and tell me what you think!


	2. Don't Stop Believin'

Step 2: Jean and Scott 

_Don't stop believin._  
Journey

It took a long time for Scott and Jean to get together, I'm told. And for various reasons as well, the most common one being that they were best friends, and just did not want to mess up such a good thing. And if their relationship now is any indication, I would say that they must have had a really good thing before.

He always smiles when he's around her, because she makes him "the happiest man in the world." He can often amuse himself by playing with her fiery red hair as she pretends that it doesn't distract her. Oh, and he knows how to distract her. Jean is very studious, and could concentrate on a book even if the world were falling down around her, but Scott knows her well, and knows which buttons to push to get her attention. He starts by playing with her hair - I'm surprised I'm the only one who has noticed that the hair is simply the beginning. He moves on, then, lightly touching the nape of her neck with the tips of his fingers, tugging on her ear lobe. If she still doesn't respond, he slowly leans in and presses his lips to her throat. At this point in time, her concentration is broken as she lightly shoves him off, chastising him with a large smile on her face. Five minutes later, she has abandoned whatever she was working on in favor for some "alone time" with him. He feels he deserves this - after all, it took him over two years to get her to go out with him.

She'll tell you she has always loved him, from the moment they met. She just didn't recognize it right away, that's all. He'll chuckle at this, but doesn't respond in any way. Well, even if she didn't realize it at first, she sure does now. She's always most thoughtful when it comes to him, most sensitive to his needs, and most excited when something good happens for him. She won't admit it out loud to anyone, but she loves that they have a psychic connection. I think it makes her feel bound to him, in a good way - connected at the very roots of their souls. She knows him better than anyone, and can use this to her advantage, whether it be to get her way, to buy him Christmas presents, or to know what to say to get Jamie out of trouble with him. She knows him inside and out, through and through.

They don't get enough alone time, Jean and Scott. Although, no one gets enough alone time in this house, what with somewhere between twenty and one billion mutants living under one roof. And so, the so called "golden couple" of the Institute is forced to create their own alone time. Even when they're in a large group of people, they can make it seem as if they are the only people left in the world...

"How was your day?" he asks quietly as they sit next to each other on the couch, thoughfully ignoring the chaos of the rec room around them.

"Long." she replies with a sigh. "Yours?"

"Eh, I've had better." he says, and smiles. "Got killed by my Calculus test."

She laughs. "I'm sure you did great." she says with her own smile.

"So says you. I'm not sure my professor will agree." he says.

"Oh, don't give me that sass, Scott Summers." she says, pushing his shoulder lightly.

"Whipping out alliteration on me, Jean? That's cold."

"It is not cold. I did it by chance." she explains.

"I'm sure." he says sarcastically.

"Scott! Seriously, it was an acc-" she explains.

"Want to go get some ice cream?" he interrupts.

"What?"

"Do you want to go get some ice cream?"

"Right now?"

"No, in a week. Had to make sure to make an appointment early, your schedule fills up so fast." he says with a wide smile.

"See? Sass!"

"So? How about it?"

"The ice cream?"

"Yes." he says, slightly exasperated.

"Sounds great." she responds, getting up, and pulling him up with her, the chaos of the rec room still left behind them.

And they're both happy, because even if they were sitting on a couch in a crowded room talking about nothing, at least they were doing it together.

X-X-X-X-X

well, there you go. installment two. i'm not particularly satisfied, but i'm not really into writing this couple, so hopefully this is alright for you jott lovers out there.

now, i'd really appreciate some reviews. i see people are reading and favoriting and such, but please let me know what you think, and if there's any specific thing you'd like to see happen. talk to me!!!


	3. Dance Inside

Step 3: Logan and Ororo 

_Now I'm twisted up when I'm twisted with you._  
All-American Rejects

He, like many others, has trouble expressing his love for her. In fact, many would say that the Wolverine is incapable of loving, but he certainly loves her. He treats her differently than everyone else, but it's a subtle difference, one that can only be seen if the observer were to pay attention solely to them. He has a fascination with her skin - how it's silky smooth, even in the dry and cold winter months, and how it seems to radiate with this energy that simply has to come from within. When he thinks no one is watching, he just barely touches her with the tips of his fingers, because he has never seen skin like this, and certainly has never been allowed to touch it. He has many hesitations, though. He has a dark and dirty past, and it seems he has trouble seeing past it sometimes. He and his clone are alike in that way. But every once in a long, long while, he allows his insecurities to come out before her, how he is not worthy of such a beauty - a goddess - with a past as bloody as his. She simply tells him that what's done is done, and she appreciates the Logan he is now - a caring, protective man. He gets frustrated when she says things like this, because she can't see his memories, and can't understand the pain he has both caused and experienced. He usually ends this conversation by stalking off to the Danger Room, only to come back once his head is clear.

She gets frustrated with him when he does this. It seems to take everything in her power to not call on the biggest bolt of lightening she has and throw it and him and his metallic skeleton. But instead she sighs, and her face falls a little, and she goes to water her plants and contemplate how on earth a man just couldn't let her love him. After all, she's got her insecurities, too. Every woman does. Sure, she man not have been a mercenary or assassin or whatever it was that Logan was in the past, but she worries. Worries that she won't be enough for him. Worries that one day he'll tire and leave her. Worries that one day he'll just leave and won't ever come back. But she knows that his demons are stronger and darker than hers, so she is an amazingly strong woman and holds her complexes within herself, and instead tries to mollify his. But through all this, she does love him. She loves when he touches her softly, the callouses tickling the surface. But she also likes that he is strong, and he knows that she is strong. He does not treat her like a glass figurine as she was treated in Africa, his movements are sure, and he never hesitates. She admires that he can have such certainty, not only with her, but with life. He is her rock, her stronghold in times of turmoil. He is steady and solid and constant. And that comforts her.

They banter and flirt a lot more than the other students realize. They act as if they are good friends, which I suppose is just a play on the students. Many consider Ororo to be completely grown up, mature and wise. They don't realize that she and Logan often enjoy a little fun - at the students unbeknownst expense.

"I see that Roberto still has yet to realize that young Rhane has quite the crush on him." she says at supper one night, not looking up from her food. She speaks extra quietly, but she knows that he can hear her.

"The boy's blind as a bat. He couldn't tell she liked him if she danced naked in front of him." Logan responds gruffly. Ororo's eyes momentarily meet his in shock at his bluntness.

"Logan! These are students we're talking about!" she chastizes. Logan shrugs and grunts. "Besides, I think if a girl was dancing naked in front of a boy, he could gather that she was at least a little interested in him."

"Not that kid. He'd probably turn his head and assume it was an accident before blushing so hard that his face exploded."

"I insist that we change the subject."

"To what? You don't let me rag on the Cajun anymore."

"Logan, he treats Rogue properly, don't worry."

"'Treats her properly'? How do you know?"

"Why, he told me of course."

"And you believed him?! You know he's got that freaky eye thing goin' on - he probably brainwashed you to turn a blind eye to his...his...uh..."

"His what, Logan?" she asked calmly.

"Whatever! You know what I mean. There's something up with him, the weirdo." Logan insisted. Ororo smiled.

"Logan, that's called being in love." she said. Logan huffed.

"He's in something."

"Surely we're not going to spend our entire supper arguing about Remy's intentions again, are we?" Ororo said, whipping out her stern voice. Logan hmphed.

"Fine. What do you suggest we talk about?" he mutters. His body says he's unhappy, but there's a twinkle in his eye that insists that perhaps he wasn't as upset as he appeared to be.

"Well, when are you going to let me drive your motorcycle?" Ororo prompts, taking a bite from her supper.

"Never." Logan's answer is quick and sure.

"I'll take that as a 'tomorrow'."

"Really? I would take it as a 'never'."

"Logan, come on, I won't do anything to hurt it."

"No."

"Please?" she asks, leaning close to him and placing her hand on him. He can feel the cashmere and slowly thaws. On the inside, of course.

"Fine. But I'm gonna be with you on the bike. And I'm not lettin' go of the handle bars."

"Of course not."

"And so help me God if you even scratch her-"

"Logan, it'll be fine. The kids will be at school - no one will see us." she says, and goes back to her food in silent triumph. Logan, meanwhile, glares at his plate, wondering how on earth the Wolverine was tricked into agreeing to such a semi-non-Wolverine activity.

X-X-X-X-X

eh, i'm not particularly happy with this one. but it'll do, i suppose. as always, please leave me some comments if you enjoyed this, and if there's any couple you'd like to see.

also, if you notice at the beginning of each chapter, there is a song lyric that i use to semi-inspire the chapter. if you have anything that may go with a specific couple, go ahead and toss that in there as well.


	4. Lovestoned

Step 4: X23 and Pietro 

_She's got me lovestoned,  
man I swear she's bad and she knows,  
I think that she knows.  
_Justin Timberlake

They are the most interesting couple to observe. They are completely different from each other, but not in the opposite sense like pieces of a puzzle. They're more like Sodoku, if that can be considered a comparison; they don't exactly fill each others' spaces, but they find them out together. It's quite fascinating.

She is tentative about everything - but only the first time. The first time he wanted to dance, she wasn't quite sure how to move and was mechanical, but now she's apparently a good dancer (although it's more often the kind of dancing where you think the pair is probably a little too close together). That's one of the things she likes about him - he pushes her outside of her comfort zone and exposes her to new things. After years in the H.Y.D.R.A. and Weapon X projects, she enjoys the little things he introduces her to - things like carnivals and walks in the park. Life's an adventure with him. But she's still hesitant a lot of the time - she's still learning the ways of this life, the ways of relationships and friendships and love. But she's a quick learner and dives into everything head first, her only hesitations being about him. She's not sure that they should be together, she's afraid she'll lose control and hurt him, she's afraid of these strange feelings she feels around him, which are difficult for the "normal" person, and much moreso to a person raised as a weapon for the first fourteen years of her life. She balks sometimes to his professions of affection, saying that she doesn't know how to love, and that they should probably not be together, but he knows her, and shoots that theory down. He's her first love, and she's his last.

He does love her, and he knows it. He has no desire to be with other women, because he has her. He hasn't told her he loves her yet, because he knows she's not ready, but when she is...he's prepared. She says that she doesn't know how to love, or doesn't know the feelings inside of her, but in truth, he's a little envious of her for it. He feels she has it simpler, and yearns for the purely raw feelings she has without the tainting of what the world says the feelings are. He wished he had that freedom, that anger wasn't anger, just the feeling of hitting something, and that love wasn't love, just the feeling of craving another human being. He's training to think in that way - in her way - just the raw, unchallenged feeling of your heart, without the addition of the mind. But I digress. He enjoys all the little things about her - the surprised looks she gets after trying new things with him, the way she moves so precisely and so gracefully, the way that she accepts him for who he is now, and not who he was in his past. That's a big thing with him, his past. He often expresses himself as being tainted and worthless (but only to her). He feels as if he was weak-minded in his past, something he can't get over. He's afraid something will happen and he will end up having to leave her, and that tears him apart, because he knows that she wouldn't fully comprehend like a "normal" person. But all the same, he lives by the carpe dium philosophy, and certainly cherishes each and every moment he spends with her.

It's always fascinating to watch them, because both are without inhibitions. They say what they feel to each other, if they feel they need contact, they'll hold something - elbows, hands, arms, knees - and they are openly affectionate. She'll sit on his lap a lot, he holds her waist a lot, and they both dance just a little too closely. But it's their honesty that's most fascinating. When she first realized she was attracted to him, she said "I don't understand. I want to be near you, and be with you, and sometimes get this odd urge to place my mouth on yours. What does that mean?" And he laughed, not at her, but at her words, because he appreciated the bluntness of her words and the genuine confusion she felt. It's humorous to listen to.

"You're not wearing that cologne today." X23 says at supper one night.

"I thought you didn't want me to?" Pietro questions in a flippant manner. He teases a lot.

"I don't. That's why I was going to say I was glad - I can finally smell you, not some weird concoction of herbs and chemicals and rubbing alcohol-"

"Ok, you made your point. Although saying you can 'smell me' is a little odd."

"Well, it's the truth. The nose doesn't lie." she says, tapping the side of her nose. "And besides, you smell nice."

"Well thank you." he replies with a smile. "But it's still a little odd."

"Whatever. Don't accept my compliment. That's cool."

"What? I love your compliments, and I do accept it...I'm just saying, your wording is a littls odd." Pietro tries to explain himself, laughing. She's smiling as well.

"Well maybe I won't ever try to compliment again. I'll just leave you to wallow in your lack of confidence and cologne..." X23 says sarcastically.

"Leave me? What?" he says, feigning indignance. But there's a small truth to his words.

"I suppose. And you'll just have to continue on without me, the girl whose compliments you made fun of..."

"I couldn't go on without you." he says, surprisingly serious. She's looking him in the eyes, and can tell he's not kidding. Her smile falters.

"Pietro-"

"No, just accept it, kay? Don't say anything about it." he says gently, turning back to his food.

"Pietro, you know how I feel, right? You know what I'm feeling, why I'm hesitant..." she says equally as softly, sadness in her eyes at the turn of the events.

"Just think of it as a compliment." he says with a genuine smile. "You like the way I smell, I love you. Just another one of those things."

"But it's not."

"And why not?"

"Because you smelling good is not the same as you loving me, duh. You know how desperately I want to love you, but how I was deprived of love for the first part of my life and am still trying to sort everything out. I'm just not ready."

"I know. I know you're not ready. But I respect it, okay? I know you're working through things - you're working your butt off. And I just want you to know that when you're ready, so am I."

There's silence for a moment as they both eat for a bit, their plates of food long forgotten in the discussion.

"You know what I'm thinking?" she says, a smile on her face.

"That we should ditch this boring supper and go do something fun somewhere else?" he asks.

"No."

"Blast."

"I'm thinking that I'm not sure I could go on without you, either. And that I always want to be with you and touch you and kiss you...but I also want to care for you and hear what you think and I respect you and your opinions and just...I feel like I may not know exactly what love is, but I'm beginning to understand." she says. His smile brightens.

"You're definitely beginning to understand." he replies, and clasps her hand in his on the table as they finish their meal.

X-X-X-X-X

eh, not so happy with this one, either. feel like i was going well until the dialogue...oh well.

as always, leave love for me! and those who have left love in the past, i greatly appreciate it! and also as always, if you have a specific couple in mind you'd want to see, let me know! i'll see what i can do!

XM


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